The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
A few weeks ago I lost a friend. He was my sister’s husband—my brother-in-law. Although my sister passed away more than 5 years ago and they had no children together, he and I still kept in touch; our strongest bond developed during the care of my sister over the four years she had cancer which eventually took her life. This day, as the Church Commemorates All Souls Day, I am thinking of my friend—my sister’s husband, who recently passed away. At this time, I need assurance of his salvation.
Today’s Scriptures are all about hope, eternal life, justification, and salvation. Frankly, there are no ‘words’ that can mitigate the pain of losing someone we love. Let’s be honest. Living on in this world without a person we love can be unbearable…even Holy Scripture cannot mitigate the pain we experience. ‘It is what it is’ as they say. However, especially when we know our loved one had serious ‘problems’ or was sickened beyond human help or exhibited behavior far outside the parameters of what anyone would see as ‘Christian’, we can find ourselves confused and fearful about the ultimate end of our friend. When we lose someone close to us we are usually aware of their failings, their weaknesses, their faults. And it does not matter…we love them all the same. WE LOVE THEM ALL THE SAME. We think about how these precious souls came into our lives and made our existence better for their presence. This is the Holy Spirit at work in the world. Today in the Gospel Jesus says, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”(John 6:37). Jesus will reject no one…even if it seems their life did not reflect the life of Jesus in many ways. Regardless of what we see of another person’s life—failings and virtue alike—this day the Church reminds us of how vast the mercy and goodness of God is and how limited is our ability to comprehend the depths of this mystery.
On this special day of the Commemoration of All Souls, if we realize nothing else may we realize that every human soul has been loved into existence by our Holy God. May we consider that God wills every single soul created by God be saved (John 6:40). And through our own personal friendship with God and what God has revealed through this relationship, may God grant us assurance of the eternal salvation of our beloved departed. Amen.
--Gail Lyman